Fisheries Biologist II
Location: US, MS, Pascagoula
Employment type: Full-time
Required experience: Mid-Senior level
Industry: Fishery
Function: Science

Company profile:
Riverside is an internationally recognized engineering, science, and information technology company with more than 25 years experience providing innovative information technology solutions for environmental decision support systems, using a variety of different environmental data sources, from satellite sensors and imagery to stream gauges in local rivers.RIVERSIDE QUICK FACTSFounded in 1985Corporate headquarters in Fort Collins, ColoradoCompleted over 1,200 projects in more than 30 countriesNCBR Mercury 100 List for “Fastest Growing Companies Over $2 Million”SBA “Small Business of the Year Award” recipientNCBR 2011 “Environmental Entrepreneur Award” recipientRiverside has successfully implemented more than 1,200 projects in over 30 countries, and maintains a strong worldwide customer base, including U.S. government agencies such as USAID and USTDA, and international donor organizations such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and FAO.Since 1985, Riverside has built relationships and partnerships with a variety of clients including the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) — providing products, services, and solutions meeting their long-term needs.

Job description:
Company OverviewRiverside Technology, inc. (Riverside), a leading international engineering and consulting firm providing scientific analysis &amp; applications development, systems engineering, hydrologic forecasting system development and GIS services to Federal agencies, international clients and state governments, has an immediate opportunity for a Fisheries Biologist II located onsite at the NOAA Fisheries Lab in Pascagoula, MS.The Position Riverside is seeking a Fisheries Biologist II to work within the Trawl Unit to support shrimp/bottomfish and small pelagics/acoustics survey activities on NOAA Ships and/or small boats, perform laboratories duties such as species identification, stomach content analysis of finfish, extraction and reading of fish otoliths, data analysis, and report and scientific manuscript preparation.Key responsibilities include:Perform as a Chief Scientist, Watch Leader, and Watch Stander for large vessel trawling surveys and participates in other resource surveys as required, approximately 80 to 100 sea days per year. May be required to draft and submit Cruise Instructions and Cruise Reports, upon the request of the Unit Leader.Identify invertebrates and marine fishes in all life stages from diverse habitats of the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent seas; process otoliths for age analyses; examine the stomach contents of captured specimens to determine diet preferences; process trawl samples by sorting to the species level (or lowest taxon possible in the field), counting, weighing, sexing, and measuring for estimations of relative abundances by species.Assist Chief Scientists and the Unit Lead by performing data entry and quality control of collected data.Conduct data analysis and summaries; provide data reports, publications and presentations. The Contractor shall follow all SEFSC publication review procedures prior to publication of any abstracts or manuscripts.Support various surveys by loading and unloading vessels, and storing required equipment and data.This position will support marine mammal and sea turtle strandings activities, as needed, by assisting the Sea Turtle Strandings and Salvage Network (STSSN) and the SEFSC Mississippi Laboratories Sea Turtle Strandings Coordinator. The position will respond to sea turtle strandings and captures, record data into the STSSN database and other applicable databases, be responsible for upkeep and distribution of turtle kits used on NOAA vessels, and assist in conducting sea turtle outreach and other sea turtle related activities.Participate in public outreach and education efforts.Attend scientific meetings and workshops and present scientific results, as required.

Requirements:
MS Degree in Marine Science or a related field of study or BS Degree in Marine Science or related field plus three (3) years of relevant experience is required.Knowledge of applying basic concepts, principles and methodologies of marine biology research sufficient to independently perform scientific tasks using standard methods and techniques.Able to identify benthic fauna in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in depths between 5 and 500 meters (approximately 800 species).Experience with running the Scientific Computing System (SCS) Version 4.7.0.2430 software.  Must be able to start SCS Acquisition module; navigate to CTD, bongo, neuston and trawl event loggers; and populate empty data fields.Experience with running Fishery Scientific Computing System (FSCS) Version 1.6 software.  Must be able to initialize and populate Station Initialize, Total Catch Weight, Species and Weights, and Fish Sampling modules of FSCS. Must also be able to troubleshoot, identify and solve problems resulting from improper implementation.Knowledge of Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program field sampling protocols for trawling and plankton, in order to lead scientific watches on large NOAA ships during extended field trips (10-20 days).Proficient in the use of fish, invertebrate, and protected species identification books and dichotomous keys; computer literate and experience with common word processing, database, statistical, and graphics programs.Capable of writing reports at the college level and making oral presentations.Sea going employees who participate on research cruises on NOAA ships will be required to annually submit a NOAA Health Services Questionnaire (NOAA Form 57-10-01) to the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations to determine fitness for sea duty. Sea going employees will be required to have a current tetanus vaccine (once every 10 years) and an annual tuberculin skin test. 

Benefits:
Location: NOAA Fisheries Lab in Pascagoula, MSRiverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer offering very competitive compensation and exceptional employee benefits.